Compass Rose
by WaterGlyph
Summary: Two lives, intertwined and joined. Norrington is given a second chance at life. NorringtonOC


A/N- This was written for fun and giggles, nothing more and nothing less. Right Kate?! XD (Hopefully there won't be too many grammatical errors….)

Disclaimer: I don't own the swashbuckling Commodore Norrington, if I did…I wouldn't be writing this story now would I:)

Summary: Two lives, intertwined and joined. Norrington is given a second chance at life. (NorringtonOC)

Compass Rose

Chapter 1

Breath of Life 

_The sea,_

_The sea,_

_It rolls and rolls,_

_And calls to me…._

His soul had drifted, lost at sea once he sealed his fate by piercing his chest with the steel blade. He did not fear death. He would repent for his sins and finally clear his conscience of his previous life. Captain of the British Royal Navy…he inwardly smirked; lord how droll that sounded. But it didn't matter now, he had shattered his dignity and reputation, there was nothing left for him now that he was a broken man. Death would soon fly to him on swift wing, carrying his soul to a place where he could be free….

He slowly opened his eyes. Sunlight filled his gaze, its warmth pooling onto his face like a stream of golden ecstasy. It felt pure…almost untouchable. Was this what heaven felt like? He had always presumed that death would be numbingly cold…. It could be safe to say the he had never been more delighted to be proven wrong. When his sight cleared however, he was a little bit puzzled.

Norrington lay within a soft bed, one that was not crafted of rich furnishing but was still a bed nonetheless. It had the appearance of a cheery little cottage, where the rooms were small and made of fine wood. A fishing net lined one of the walls, where a collection of colored seashells were intricately woven amongst the thick threads. The rest of the room however was plain and simple, nothing fancy or flowery. Turning his head slightly he came face to face with a window that looked out to the sea, where the sun was either setting or rising…he couldn't quite tell. _Strange…._ He thought to himself as he absentmindedly propped himself up on his elbows and meant to have a better look at his surroundings, but the pain stopped him. A seething hot sting bit at his chest, forcing him to crumple back into his pillow and wait until the harsh throbbing diminished. _Pain cannot exist in death. _His conscience tried to make some sense of where he was and why he was here. But his endeavors were futile, and had very few results. Again he willed his body, ever so slowly back into a sitting position. James knew this sea… the smell of the salt, the way the wind played through the trees, the beryl emerald hue amongst the body of turquoise…. Port Royal.

He collected his scattered thoughts as he ran a shaky hand through his pillow-tousled hair. The pain in his chest where the sword had presumably taken his life, the surrounding bedroom, the view just outside the window…. There was only one probable answer to all of this…. He was still alive.

The sound of approaching footsteps drew his attention towards the door, once opened he discovered his caretaker. It was a girl, one that captured sincere innocence within her plain features. She looked to be a little younger than him, at least two years younger. If it wasn't for her long lashes and alabaster skin, he might had mistook her for a young man, for she wore breeches and a loose white shirt that tied down the front. Carrying a tray of what he assumed was food, he watched as she turned her back to him, placing a bouquet of fresh flowers into a crystal vase. He didn't know why he did it, but he automatically closed his eyes before she had fully turned around. Curious as he was, he wasn't sure whether he wanted to scare the woman with the fact that he was conscious. He could probably trust her since she apparently was the one taking care of him, but he couldn't be sure just yet. _Why would I dream about someone I have never met? Regardless it is a very realistic and picturesque scene. _ A soft weight was added to the edge of the bed as a delicate hand gingerly checked his forehead for a temperature. Her touch made it real.

"You can wake up now." She spoke out loud; a hint of amusement laced her voice.

Complying with her request, he opened his gray brown eyes and met her aqua gaze.

Her lips blossomed into a grin that perfectly suited her impish face. Her hand retreated from his forehead and she sat there, patiently, waiting for him to say something. The sudden crash of reality did little to aid in his quest of forming a sentence. He was alive.

"Where am I?" He croaked, his voice slightly raspy and crackled.

"The coast of Port Royal. I found you lying on the shore with a sword through your chest. The fact you're still alive is a miracle within itself."

He frowned slightly, the fact that he was supposed to be dead became a recurring thought that plagued his mind.

"Then, may I be so bold as to inquire who you are?"

She raised an amused eyebrow, the color of dark chocolate.

"Ah, you're a gentleman."

"A _former_ gentleman, exiled by fate." He murmured, breaking their eye contact and returning his gaze back out the window.

"Alright then mystery man, I can see you've had enough excitement for one day." She rose from the bed and traipsed towards the door. Just before she left, she smiled omnisciently.

"As for my name, I am Mina. Mina G'hladeon."

The door shut with a groaning creak, shutting James Norrington into unfamiliar surrounding that appeared to be a good distance away from the outside world.

It wasn't long before he detected the wonderful aroma of the food she had brought to him. The tray lay where she had once sat, a bowl steamed with hot creamy porridge spiced with fresh cinnamon. Before the empty pit of hunger consumed him, he wolfed down the delicious meal without a second thought of manners that were meant to please the public eye. It was delicious, and filled his stomach with the merry warmth of a home cooked meal. Gulping down the milk, he released a blissful sigh of content. If he were indeed alive, he would have no problem staying here under Miss Mina's care.

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He awoke to the sound of the window being unlatched, which you could very well imagine how unnerving that was. James nearly bolted upright, but was again stopped by the intense burning of the wound. He placed a hand over his chest, hoping to calm the furious stinging as he recognized Mina. She pushed the windows open like a pair of shutters, the world flooding into his gaze.

"Good morning."

"Good morning Miss Mina." He winced, leaning back into his pillow in attempt to calm the fire within his upper body.

"You really should be moving yet. Give it a few more days." She scolded while placing another tray filled with mouthwatering food next to the bed. It was piled with fresh fruit and another bowl of the porridge he enjoyed.

"How long have I been here?" He inquired, curious as to how long he had been unconscious in this house.

"About three weeks. The local doctor has been keeping a very close eye on you and treated your wound."

"I owe you both my life then."

"Don't be silly. I merely did what any other person would have done."

"You don't know me." His gaze grew solemn, guarded.

Mina sighed, placed bot of her hands on her hips and stared down at him.

"Look, I honestly don't care what you've done or where you come from. You're _alive_ and that's all that matters. Not many people are as lucky as you are when it comes to being given a second chance."

He gave her a questioning glance, still surprised that she would speak to him so open-mindedly unlike most women.

"Now eat your breakfast and rest. I'll check in on you later."

With that she was gone, leaving James Norrington to fit with is own reality. He idly picked up a green grape from the platter and analyzed it before popping it into his mouth. At least he now knew what time of day it was.

Before he could eat a juicy piece of cantaloupe he heard laughter come from outside the window. He slightly leaned to the side until he had full access to the outside view of the house. Mina had saddled her horse and began to ride down the long stretch of the drive the trailed off into the countryside. Though she was not alone. Alongside her was a young man, clad in tan robes and bore a tri-corner hat. _Why does she dress like a man? _He wondered.

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A/N- I know it's Saturday, but it's close enough to Friday…right? Anyhow I hope you like this first chapter, there will be many more to follow. :) **Please review and tell me what you think!** :tosses cookies:

Note: The beginning with "the sea the sea it rolls and rolls and calls to me is actually a beautiful quote from a book called "The Wanderer".


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